Blood orange poppy seed olive oil cake

Full disclosure,

the only San Pellegrino drink I will consume is their blood orange sparkling juice. I’m sure there are others that can compare, but there’s something about the tangy, tart sweetness of a blood orange that understands me on a molecular level.

I don’t seek to understand it, and neither should you. Just join me in appreciating this cake for what it is. 

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 ½ cups (192g) all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½  tsp baking soda

• ¼  tsp salt

• 1 1/2 Tbsp of poppy seeds

• 1 (200g) cup granulated sugar

• 1 Tbsp blood orange zest (about 2 blood oranges)

• 3 large eggs

• ½ cup (112g)extra virgin olive oil (it’s suggested to use top shelf olive oil, but we don’t all have top shelf money. So a mid-shelf, or even your household’s standard olive oil works too!)

• 1/4 cup (57g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

• 1/4 cups (60g) squeezed blood orange juice

• 1 cup (240g) buttermilk or plain greek yogurt (either should work fine, as they are both full fat)

Glaze

• 3 Tbsp blood orange juice

• 2 cups (300g) powdered sugar

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9-inch round pan.

2. In a medium bowl Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and poppy seeds. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl toss together sugar and Blood orange zest until combined. Add eggs and whisk well. 

4. Whisk in olive oil and butter. Add Blood orange juice and yogurt and whisk until combined. 

5. Add mixture to the flour mixture, and fold with a rubber spatula until combined and smooth.

6. Scrape batter into the prepared round cake pan and smooth the top by gently tapping the bottom of the pan against the counter. 

7. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack. 

8. While the cake is cooling, in a medium bowl whisk the powdered sugar, blood orange juice and vanilla extract until a smooth consistency and glossy. 

9. Slowly pour on top of the cooled cake, covering the entire top of the cake.

Store cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Serve at room temperature.